New roads ridden. One in particular must remain secret

[Hitcher]

A Wellington flash mob set out for a spring ride today. A variation on a "round the block" excursion. Distance and scenery with a twist. My favourite ride cocktail.

New roads? For me and Mrs H, yes for some. But there was one road in particular that no-one in our entourage had ridden before.

Oh. My. God. Yes, gentle readers, it's that good. Indeed it's better than that. "Outstanding" doesn't do it justice.

But before I share more, I need you all to promise that you won't mention a word of what I'm about to tell you to anybody else. OK? Promise?

Righty-oh then.

It's the Taihape-Napier road. In our case today, more correctly it was the Taihape-Fernhill road.

It's like riding in a foreign country. Parts of it reminded me of Montana. Other parts were like Utah canyon country, apart from the greenness. Big sky country. Snow-capped ridges at its edges. Magic.

The road is a peach. Sealed all the way through, with a couple of shabby patches in the Kaweka Forest section on the Hawke's Bay side. But the first 70km in from Taihape are just absolutely brilliant. So too is the run down from Otemauri on the Bay side.

It's not a fast road. It needs attention but not dangerous. It's critter country, although most road fences are in good order, but watch out for wandering stock. It could be a handful in a big wind, but today's wasn't overly blustery.

If you like corners, you'll love this road. Steep downhill corners, steep uphill corners. Nicely paced rhythmic corners. Corners with heart-stopping "Ooh wow!" views. Bridges over scenic rivers. And corners. Undulating sweeping corners.

Today won't be the last time we ride this road. It's day-rideable from Wellington. I'm smitten.

On the way up, we turned right onto Wilson Road, just before the Mermaid House opposite RNZAF Ohakea. Flick flacked onto the Halcombe Road and off onto Pryces Line. Round the back of Stanway and eventually emerging onto SH54 just before Waituna West. Another peach of a ride. Great scenery and nice uncluttered Manawatu roads at their finest.

Coming home we took our traditional left turn at Oringi. But instead of a usual right-left flick flack from Jackson Road to Bluff Road, we went left to Hopelands, eventually emerging back out onto SH2 right next to the Mangatainoka Brewery. Yeah, right. A nice road, but made a bit tricky by riding long stretches of it into a low setting sun.

It's days like this where motorcycle riding can't be beaten. Great weather, great mates, great roads, great fun.

And please remember the promise you made earlier. Don't tell a soul about the Taihape-Napier Road. Gentle Annie is a treasure.

[KoroJ]

Hmmmm.....most odd. That sounds just like the ride I went on today!

[warewolf]

Sealed all the way through

Bugger. Was going to happen sometime, I supppose.

[curly]

Sounds like you enjoyed yourself.

Anyone know how it got the name Gentle Annie?

[Mad-V2]

e) Names Associated with Gold Mining, Surveyors, and Explorers

Many names surviving from the gold-mining era are associated with scenes of the principal rushes. Some commemorate the diggers who made strikes (Gabriel's Gully, Arthur's Point, Ross, Addison's Flat); some are the miner's descriptions of localities, such as Canvastown, Ophir, and Reefton; while others are quaint names bestowed by the diggers, Napoleon's Hill, Dry Bread, Roaring Meg, Gentle Annie, and Vinegar Hill.
The early surveyors followed no fixed pattern when giving names to districts and geographical features and often depended upon the whim of the moment for their inspiration. A surveyor who was hard put to find names might use those from classical mythology, or of the members of his survey team, or the characters of a book he was reading. Alfred Domett's penchant was for poets, hence the street names of Napier. W. T. L. Travers favoured the Crimean War, thus Raglan and St. Arnaud. Haast recorded many names from Austria (Franz Josef Glacier), and so forth. In general, the surveyors were responsible for naming the land blocks or early subdivisions, and many of the names they gave have since passed into common use, Lake McKerrow, Eglinton River.

[ajturbo]

last time i was on that road i was on the turbo.. it LOVED the gravel...

[Maha]

''It's like riding in a foreign country. Parts of it reminded me of Montana''

Were there Cowboyz?

[MSTRS:Me]

Don't tell a soul about the Taihape-Napier Road. Gentle Annie is a treasure.

Noooo!!! Tell EVERYBODY!! It's a horrible road and should be avoided at all cost!!

Anyone know how it got the name Gentle Annie?

The name actually referred to just the big, steep hill right in the middle at Kurapapanga. Apparently, in the old coaching days, there was a stable/inn at the base run by a woman of that name. These days GA means the whole road.

[jellywrestler]

Noooo!!! Tell EVERYBODY!! It's a horrible road and should be avoided at all cost!!



The name actually referred to just the big, steep hill right in the middle at Kurapapanga. Apparently, in the old coaching days, there was a stable/inn at the base run by a woman of that name. These days GA means the whole road.

so how did the Gentle Annie name also appear on the Wanganui River Road?

[Maha]

These days GA means the whole road.

GA means General Admission John...open to all...

[Quasi]

Great report Hitcher - got it on the list of to do's.

[riffer]

I discovered that road about ten years ago when I had to quickly get from Napier to Raetihi.

It's magnificent.

[MD]

You went the wrong way. It is the Napier-Taihape road, not the Taihape-Napier road. Maybe they are different roads? Need to explore both to be sure.

A day ride Hitcher! That's a fairly looong day. I'll have to study a map to check out the route you took there and back.

Like you I recently discovered the Napier-Taihape road back in March and it surely is one of the best m/c roads in the North Island. Good to hear it is all sealed now. We did it in heavy rain and the gravel/dirt section was hard yakka on sports tyres.

What a beaut sunny day we had yesterday.

[MSTRS:Me]

so how did the Gentle Annie name also appear on the Wanganui River Road?

Perhaps the old girl 'got around a bit' ??

[Jantar]

From the description, I'm sure I've ridden that road a couple of times in the past. But what's this "Sealed all the way through"? Last time I rode through there it was "Sealed almost none of the way through".